


Lily & James

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-15
Updated: 2011-07-15
Packaged: 2019-01-19 02:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12401418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: Finding out that one has a twin sister (minus the lightning scar) proved to be an extraordinary experience for Harry Potter. But drinking a polyjuice potion, switching bodies, & wreaking havoc?Is priceless.





	Lily & James

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

Chapter One: The Beginning, August 1994

In the midst of the clouds and fog, a small cruise line called the Aurora Felix sailed happily into the nightfallen New York harbor. A total number of one hundred exclusive guests were lucky enough to score an invite to the Potter’s most prized vacation getaway. The celebration, you ask? The night of Mr. Strobe Potter’s fiftieth birthday.

Mind you, all of the guests aboard this ship were wizards. In attendance included the Prime Minister of Magic and his family, an aura of Hogwarts staff including Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall, and close friends and family of the Potters such as the infamous Lady Jane Evans. 

Atop the ship, music played boisterously with pride and energy, couples smiling gleefully in their partner’s arms, delicatessens of food instantly served on the tables. Laughter could be heard from everywhere. The occasional cheer once a new bottle of firewhiskey was open. Couples young and old danced the night away on the moonlit floor. Even with all the firewhiskey and butterbeer, there was no doubt anyone would forget this night.

Strobe Potter observed from afar off with his dear Emelia at his side. He gently took his wife’s hand leading her onto the floor isolated far from the rest of the dancing couples. With a nod of his head to the conductor, a slow jazz waltz began to play. They were not alone, however. Barely a three yards away from them, danced their son’s young handsome friend and a gorgeous brunette named Helen. The hair gently sweeping across his face was an obvious sign of who must’ve that been.

“Ah, yes. Would you look at how happy Sirius is? Looks like he finally found the right one. About time, I say,” chuckled Strobe into his wife’s ear. He turned her gently around so she could see. 

“Why, I do hope so,” replied Emelia. “The boy needs a strong and stable woman to keep him grounded. Helen’s just the perfect fit. I’m so glad James found Lily. I don’t know how else we could’ve restrained our son.” A trace of laughter escaping her mouth. 

Emelia never failed to amuse her husband. “Why, look at you dear. You’re just the perfect matchmaker aren’t you?” Strobe said, smiling. 

And in all honesty, it was true. If Emelia Potter had never introduced her son to Lady Jane Evan’s youngest daughter all those years ago at the Hogwarts Express, who knows how many changes would have happened.“Pfft,” Emelia replied, giddily. “Matchmaker, smatchmaker. I just want our son to be happy. And faithful, mind you,” she laughed. Her attention was directed to Sirius, who was now hand-in-hand with Helen leaving the main vicinity of the ship. 

A deep chuckle came from Strobe as he watched the young couple descend into the foyer reminding him his own days as a young lad. “We should’ve asked those two if they run into James and Lily to tell them to come up here. There are a number of interested employers from the Ministry dying to interview James. Fudge was looking for him earlier.” 

Emelia nodded her head in approval. “I’ve barely seen my son all night. I wonder where those two are anyway.” 

*~|~*

If one was a young adult and was currently aboard a privately owned ship by his parents with his girlfriend in tow, the usually ‘sneaking off and fooling around till the sun comes up’ scenario would come to mind. 

James Potter thought that would be the case. That he and the love of his life would finally get some peace and quiet to themselves amidst the numerous fights and arguments they were having lately. 

When he graduated Hogwarts barely four years ago, he thought he had the whole world planned. He and Lily would get married, they’d work respectable jobs for the Ministry, have a nice little white-picket fence family regardless of the Wizarding World. 

But boy, was he wrong. 

Now at twenty-one, James Potter considered himself the biggest fuck-up ever known to wizarding kind. Not only was he jobless and still living under the roof of his prestigious parents, but he had somehow managed to screw up the only steady and stable thing in his life- his relationship with Lily Evans. 

He had done it again. This time, it was taken to a whole new level. The only other time he had done this was when he was eleven and completely innocent of what he was doing. 

No, he had not called her a mudblood nor had he put a charm in her hair to make it turn colors. He had done the unthinkable. 

“You foul, incoherent, egocentric, astute excuse of a man!” 

Merlin’s beard, did she really have to use words that he didn’t know the definition to?

James grabbed her arm before she could leave the room. “Please, just listen to me. It was hard for me to even tell you. I’m so sorry. I—”

“—let go of me this instance, James!” 

Lily pushed him off her as she felt a new wave of anger hit her. “I don’t know what I was thinking staying with you all these years! I should’ve just left you when I had the chance!” 

“I didn’t mean to, Lils. I was drunk and clearly not thinking of what was going on!”

“That’s your excuse for everything, James!” She put her palms over her face. She couldn’t believe this was happening. “You know what, I’m done. I’m done fighting with you. I’m done crying all the time. I’m done trying to solve everything, James…I just give up! We’re clearly just not going to work out!” 

Realization hit him. He knew at that moment the dreams he had of working together at the Ministry, having children and living in a white picket fence, and spending the rest of his life with her was completely shattered. He had completely fucked up. James’ voice was begging. “Please don’t say that.” 

As she continued, a batch of tears escaped her eyes. Lily Evans never cried, but this once, a cascade of water fell from her eyes. “I don’t want anything to do with you anymore, Potter. It’s done.” 

Her cold, steady words left James dumbfounded. He didn’t speak for a moment. “Y-you can’t mean that…” His voice trailed off, unable to say anymore. “That one night didn’t even mean a single thing to me.”

With her bitter eyes, she looked at him. “It meant enough for you to fucking sleep with her, James. What the hell were you thinking?!” 

He felt his whole body shake as he couldn’t even face the betrayal and hurt he saw in her eyes. “I wasn’t thinking, Lily,” he responded quietly. His hands slid into his pocket. 

There was no use fighting it anymore. Once Lily Evans made up her mind about something, it was hard for anyone to convince her otherwise. I mean, it did take James a rough six years to even become friends with the redhead…

She sobbed quietly. Nothing James could say or do could stop her from making the biggest decision that would ruin his life. 

A moment of silence passed between the two lovers. Simple strolls in the morning, late night adventures in Merlin-knows-where, and the Hogwarts years that shaped them all became just a memory of the past. 

“Listen, and listen here good,” Lily began firmly, her fingers wiping her wet-stained cheeks. She owed it to herself to be strong. “Tomorrow morning when the ship docks back in the city, I’ll be taking Emma with me and you’ll have Harry. From then on, there’ll be absolutely no communication between us, understood? You will not try to contact me in any way possible- Muggle or wizard.” 

James began shaking his head slowly. “No, I-I can’t just let go of you, Lils… I’m sorry,” He was begging by now. “Just, p-please don’t do this.” 

If she would’ve asked him to get down on both knees and grovel, he would’ve done it. If she would’ve asked him to go to hell and back, he would’ve done it all just for her forgiveness. At that moment, James Potter was desperate. He would’ve done anything and everything to keep the love of his life in his life. 

She laughed almost evily. “You give me no choice, Potter.” 

He winced at the name. The name that was almost about to be hers as well… Breathing deeply, he continued. “What about when we switch them?”

“Excuse me?”

“You said-, you said there’ll be no communication between us… but what about when we trade twins? When do I-, I get Emma next then?” James voice jolted so much, it sounded foreign to him. There was no more confidence in voice. 

He couldn’t believe they were really breaking up. They had been falling apart the last few months and with James’ statement of drunken infidelity, he should’ve known they wouldn’t have lasted. Instead, he had this sick, twisted theory Lily would forgive him, being the sweet lady she was. 

“You won’t,” she stated, no emotion in her voice. 

James’ mouth opened and closed. He was speechless. “Lily, don’t take out my mistake on our children. Are you daft!? You can’t just keep our children away from their parents! What about Harry? You seriously can’t tell me you’re alright with never seeing your son again!?” 

Her eyes shut. It had to be done. It was for the best. “I have every intention of seeing my son again. I don’t know when, but I sure as hell will see him again when he’s older. Mark my words, Potter.” 

“Is this really what you want?” His manner of asking was so different and so soft from compared to the current situation. He was hurt. “That I just take Harry and--, and leave?” 

For a split second, she wanted to tell him ‘no’. The look on his face clearly showed signs of remorse, regret, and sadness. The egotistical side of him was no more. But the infidelity was enough to settle her mind. 

Gaining composure again, she replied firmly. “I’ve made up my mind. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to say goodbye to my son.” 

Turning her heel, she exited the room leaving James standing there by himself. His hands were still in his pocket. His attention was fixed on the window overlooking the sea. 

Seconds turned into minutes, and before he knew it. He heard a firm knock at the door. 

“James, what the heck just happened? Lily’s crying her eyes out! The poor girl soaked Helen’s dress!” 

A dashing young man rushed into the room, his hair sweeping gracefully in his face. “James. Oy, Prongs!” 

At the mention of his nickname, James looked up. Inattentive to anything but the waves he watched from his stance. 

“Are you alright, mate?” Sirius asked breathlessly. His hands grasped his ribs. “I’ve just heard what happened.”

“You know what’s funny, Padfoot?”

“Oy?” 

“A part of me feels like I was only going to do this tonight so when I told her I cheated, she’d take me back.” There was confusion in Sirius’ face. Before he had to even ask, James handed him something he slipped from his pocket. 

A velvet box. 

“Oh, Merlin’s beard, James. I’m straight; I thought you knew!” Sirius gasped. 

The irritation he saw on James’ face was enough to make him shut up. Now was definitely not the time to be joking. “You were going to propose to her tonight, Prongs? Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked softly as he gently pried open the box. 

Well, James Potter definitely knew a little something about style. 

“Holy shit… that’s beautiful!” The small golden band engraved the two former lovebirds’ initials with a beautiful princess cut diamond placed on top. 

“Do me a favor mate,” James said, grabbing his coat. “Take that back to Tiffany’s on Wall Street tomorrow for me, would ya?” 

“Of course mate,” nodded Sirius sympathetically. The brow in his face creased remembering how long his best mate pursued this girl. “Is there anything else you want me to do?” 

“Yeah, tell my parents I apparated back to London when they look for me tomorrow. Tell them I’m sorry,” James replied heading towards the door. 

“Wait, what?” 

“I’m leaving early tomorrow morning when we dock. I’ll be taking Harry with me side along,” the younger of the two replied hastily. His face resembled a stern and cold man instead of the twenty-one year old youth he really was. 

Sirius shook his head, not understanding what his friend was trying to state. “But, it’s your father’s gala tomorrow! He’ll kill you if you miss that!” 

A haughty scoff escaped from James’ lips. This family and their wealth, please. “If you haven’t noticed Sirius, we’re already celebrating his birthday on this ship. What, do we need to celebrate this again fifty more times?” 

He moved past the confused man harshly, a scowl forming along his lower jaw. “Don’t interrupt me anymore tonight, alright? Just for once, please, please, just do as I say.”

“Wait!” Sirius turned facing James’ hunched back. He did not move a muscle. The pain was evident in how he was standing. “Where are you going? Do you want me to go with you? To London, I mean.”

“No, it’s alright, mate.” A deep, uneasy breath was let out as he tried choking back the words. “I-I need to be alone. I need to go say goodbye to my daughter.”

The hurt in James’ eyes and stance couldn’t compare to all the pain in the world. Not even if the Lord Voldemort himself came to attack. While the Dark Lord’s would’ve been a physical pain, right now, the youngest of the Potter’s was pure emotion. 

Sirius watched his friend retreat from the room. A newfound sadness took over him. Words couldn’t express how badly he felt for his friend, for both of his friends. 

Over the past years of the Potter/Evans courtship, Lily became like a sister to Sirius. Always giving him advice about girls, he in return giving her something to laugh at and laugh with…Whilst James’ place remained solely as a brother, it was Lily whom Sirius seemed to look after the most. Maybe it was because she needed it the most, or maybe it was because the beauty reminded him of his own late sister, he never knew. 

Sirius exhaled loudly. There were too many surprises in this night already. The throbbing at his head proved to be no help either. Without a further hesitation, he traced the footsteps James previously took. 

This was finally it, wasn’t it? 

With a steady breath, Sirius slipped the velvet box he was toying with carefully into his coat pocket. With a flick of a switch, he was out. His feet made their way to a private room all the way in a secluded part of the ship. The nursery. 

Soft murmurs came from inside of the room. A man’s and a young girl’s. A sofa neared the door of the nursery where he proceeded to wait well into the night. The wait would be forever as father and daughter were sharing their last moment’s together. But, for once, Sirius was patient. He would wait.

After all, little Emma wouldn’t just be saying goodbye to her father tonight. She needed to say goodbye to her godfather, too, wouldn’t she?


End file.
